Apple has acknowledged screen problems affecting a small number of its newly launched iPhone Duo handsets, just days after the highly anticipated foldable smartphone went on sale. Users have shared photos on social media showing lines across the inner display, cracks along the central crease, and other potential defects. Apple has confirmed that it is aware of an issue affecting the inner display and has advised customers experiencing problems to contact the company for a replacement.
The iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable smartphone, starts at £1,999 in the UK and costs up to £3,199 for its highest-end models. Despite attracting crowds at Apple stores around the world, the device has already faced questions about its screen durability. Some users have also reported hearing a crunching noise when opening the phone. However, the overall scale of the problem remains unknown, as Apple has not disclosed how many devices are affected, and some images circulating online may have been generated using artificial intelligence.
Technology analyst Francisco Jeronimo of market research firm IDC said the early reports should be treated with caution before conclusions are drawn about the entire production run. However, he noted that even a company with Apple’s engineering expertise and supply chain capabilities faces challenges when entering the foldable smartphone market. The Duo features a 7.6-inch inner display connected by a central hinge, a complex design component that has also presented durability challenges for competing manufacturers, including Samsung, whose first Galaxy Fold experienced screen failures in 2019.
The launch represents Apple’s most significant iPhone redesign in almost two decades and an effort to compete with established foldable devices from Android manufacturers. Unveiled by new chief executive John Ternus, who took over from Tim Cook in September, the Duo transforms from a wider smartphone into a device resembling a small tablet when opened. Analysts believe Apple’s response to the reported defects will be crucial in maintaining consumer confidence, particularly as the phone expands into 28 additional markets. Its replacement and warranty policies could play an important role in determining whether the premium device succeeds in the increasingly competitive foldable smartphone market.
